Chapter 21 Passing By

She went inside, picked up the necklace, and examined it closely. The crystal-clear yellow crystal refracted a warm light under the lamp, much like a bittersweet taste from her memory. However, the price tag made her gasp, and she could only reluctantly put it down.

Just as she put down the necklace and turned to leave the jewelry store, two elegantly dressed and poised young women walked out of the door, chatting and laughing.

One of them, with chestnut curly hair and a bright smile, was Xiao Xiao. Her gaze inadvertently swept over the profile of Jiang Yining, who had just walked out of the store, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong, Xiao Xiao?" Shen Nian'an asked in confusion. Following her gaze, she saw a slender figure in a light-colored dress looking down at her phone in the bustling crowd. She quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xiao Xiao stood rooted to the spot, her heart pounding as if struck by something. Staring blankly in the direction where the object had disappeared, she murmured, "N-nothing...maybe...I was just seeing things..."

She blinked hard, trying to dispel the sudden, unreal shock that surged within her. That profile just now… that way of walking… how could it look so much like… like Ningning? Impossible… it must be because I've been too tired lately, and I'm hallucinating.

She shook her head, took Shen Nian'an's arm, and forced a smile: "Let's go, didn't we say we were going to pick out a tie for Yan Ze?" But there was a hint of absentmindedness in that smile.

At that moment, Jiang Yining, completely unaware of what was happening, was standing at the entrance of a bustling street, looking up at the azure sky of S City, and taking a deep breath.

Every step of the wedding preparations was meticulously coordinated. Jiang Yining was constantly busy with her eldest cousin, Jiang Yunyan. Sending out invitations, checking the guest list, decorating the bridal chamber, tasting dishes... the numerous and trivial tasks filled her days, allowing her to integrate more deeply into the long-lost Jiang family.

The atmosphere was subtle yet warm on the day of the visit to her uncle's house. When Jiang Yining followed Jiang Yunyan into the somewhat unfamiliar living room, her uncle, who was drinking tea, suddenly trembled, spilling some of the scalding tea.

Auntie covered her mouth, her eyes wide open, her gaze sweeping back and forth across Jiang Yining's face as if she were seeing some unbelievable phantom.

“This…this is…” Uncle’s voice trembled noticeably.

“Dad, Mom,” Jiang Yunyan quickly stepped forward and introduced her according to the “script” given by her aunt (Jiang’s mother), “This is my aunt’s family’s youngest daughter who was lost years ago, also named Yining. She was just found not long ago.”

"Yining...the youngest daughter?" the uncle murmured, his gaze still fixed on Jiang Yining's face, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Auntie quickly realized what was happening. Although her heart was in turmoil, she forced a kind smile and warmly pulled Jiang Yining to sit down, asking her all sorts of questions and showing concern for her well-being. Her warmth clearly carried a cautious attempt to make amends and an indescribable sense of closeness.

At the dinner table, the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious. The elders served her food, and her cousins ​​took extra care of her. Jiang Yining could clearly feel that the gazes falling on her, the silent concern and indulgence, had long since transcended the scope of "long-lost cousin."

They looked at her, as if seeing another vibrant figure through the dust of time. That unspoken understanding, that silent recognition of her as "Ningning's" return, warmed her heart and brought tears to her eyes. She simply smiled, accepting this belated, bittersweet warmth with equanimity.

The parents arrived close to the wedding and were seated in the room next to Jiang Yining's. The three days leading up to the wedding were the bride's most important time: trying on her final wedding dress and toasting attire. As a member of the bride's family and her capable assistant, Jiang Yining naturally accompanied them throughout the entire process.

In the upscale wedding dress boutique, the soft lighting resembled a veil. When the bride gracefully emerged from the fitting room in her main gown adorned with rhinestones, everyone exclaimed in genuine admiration. My future cousin-in-law, already possessing a gentle and refined air, was now even more breathtaking, like a goddess radiant in the moonlight.

"Beautiful! Sister-in-law is so beautiful!" Jiang Yining clapped her hands sincerely, even more excited than if it were her own wedding.

"Ningning, why don't you try it on? There's a yellow dress over there that I think would suit you perfectly," the bride said with a smile, pointing to a dress hanging on a mannequin next to her.

Unable to refuse their hospitality, Jiang Yining was ushered into the fitting room. When she emerged from the bright yellow dress, the previously noisy fitting area instantly fell silent.

The bright lemon yellow, like the condensation of summer sunlight, made her already fair skin seem to glow. The simple and smooth cut outlined her slender waist and beautiful shoulder and neck lines.

Her skirt had an irregular ruffled hem that swayed gently with her steps. Her dark hair was casually draped over her shoulders, which made her delicate face even more beautiful. In particular, her clear eyes held a hint of shyness and helplessness, and two natural blushes rose on her cheeks. She was like a lemon just ripening on a branch, covered with dew, so refreshing that it was impossible to look away.